We propose to clone and characterize human genes that are involved in adult B cell lymphomas (B-cell lymphoma (bcl) oncogenes) by taking advantage of their close proximity to the CMu locus. Human genomic libraries from B cell lymphomas with the t (14;18), t (11;14) and t (1;14) chromosome translocations have already been produced in this laboratory. cDNA libraries from mouse x human B cell hybrids containing the 14q+ chromosome from B-cell lymphomas with the t (14;18), t (11;14) and t (1;14) chromosome translocations have also been obtained. Such cDNA libraries will be screened with unique DNA segments present in the B cell lymphoma (bcl) genomic clones. The cloned bcl cDNA segments will be sequenced and their open reading frames will be determined. The sizes of the predicted bcl gene products will be confirmed by hybrid selected translation of bcl RNA and B-cell RNA. We will also produce synthetic polypeptides generated on the basis of the bcl coding DNA sequences to be used to produce polyclonal and monoclonal anti bcl antibodies. The cloned DNA probes will be used to study the structure, the rearrangements and the transcription of the different bcl genes in adult B-cell lymphomas. The immunological probes will be used to determine the sizes of the in vivo bcl gene products and their cellular location and to purify and characterize the bcl gene products. This study should result in the understanding of the genetic mechanisms involved in the expression of the great majority of B-cell lymphomas in man. In addition, we intend to study the rearrangements and the expresssion of the bcl genes in human myelomas with 14q+ chromosomes.